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AK/SPPA4115 The Political Economy of State Finance

Syllabus

Class: Tuesday and Thursday 2:00-5:00 p.m.
Dr. Lorne Foster
e-mail: lfoster@yorku.ca
Web: http://www.yorku.ca/lfoster
Office Hours: (By appointment)

Course Description

This course explores the broad economic and political forces, institutions and structures which have shaped state finance and social policy in Canada. In particular, the course will look at how these larger frameworks have shaped the role of the state in the economy, and the changing relationship between state finances and democracy institutions and actors. In this regard, the class will confront various social issues and contradictions inherent in contemporary liberal democratic societies, evident in the persistent prominence of social, political, and economic stratification. It is divided into four distinct parts. The first part explores the democratic discourse on political economic organization, and will be triangulated around the key concepts of culture, social power and ideology. In the second part, the focus will be on global or transnational diversity and the relationship between ethnicity, race, gender and social class as they relate to the many dimensions of inequality and domination, resistance and collective empowerment, in Canada and beyond. In the third part of the course the emphasis will be on the structures and patterns of social action in Canada, related to the social forces of prejudice, stereotyping, discrimination and racism. In the fourth part, some of the major institutional policies reflecting the relationship between political economy and the state will be examined with specific emphasis on immigrants and immigration, employment equity and multiculturalism.

Learning Outcomes

The focus of this course will be on the analytic and systematic comprehension of the social construction of Canada and the political economy. This course will be devoted to the development of "critical thinking" about the mediating impact of ideology-culture-and-power on institutions, the relationship between social institutions and social inequality, the limits of liberalism, the social significance of the harmonization of the national and global economy, the limitations of modernist paradigms to grasp current processes of change, and the role of consciousness as a transformative tool. Questions to be explored in appreciating the significance of the political economy on the state and state finance include: To what extend has neoliberalism become entrenched in the Canadian political space in the past decade as the dominant commonsense understanding of what is natural and inevitable in an era of economic globalization, political continentialization, and international terrorism (whether state or movement-based)? How do different contemporary contexts of identity and power impact changing attitudes towards “welfare,” social services and the welfare state?  How does race, ethnicity and gender produce meanings and represent identities that constitute and are constituted by the contemporary dynamics of power? What are the conditions and constructions that come to define social developments in a global world, and challenge Canadian society in the new millennium?

Class Procedure

The class procedure involves lectures, interactive discussion of the readings, occasional audio visual presentations and student presentations. Students are expected to attend classes with reading assignments completed in order to facilitate class discussions. Additional materials relevant to the topic readings will be introduced as lecture material.

Required Texts

B. Singh Bolaria ed. Social Issues and Contraditions in Canadian Society Toronto: Harcourt Brace & Company, 2000. ISBN 0-7747-3615-1  (paperback)

Wallace Clement and Leah F. Vosko eds. Changing Canada: Political Economy as Transformation. Montreal/Kingston: McGill/Queens University Press, 2003. IBSN: 0-7735-2531-9 (paperback)

Evaluations and Assignments

Each student’s performance will be evaluated as follows:

Class participation (this means class attendance and discussion)

25%

In-class test (May 31)

15%

In-class test (June 28)

15%

Major Essay (July 17)

30%

Final Exam (In-Class on last session)

15%

Note*: The instructor reserves the right to make changes to this course outline after                       consultation with the full class.

Topic and Reading Outlines

May 8 

Distribution of Course Outline and Introductions.

May 10 (15)

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.16 – The Decline of the Canadian Welfare State: Policies and Implications of Retrenchment. Presentation: Navneet Chohan

May 15

Changing Canada, ch. 1 - Politics in the Time and Space of Globalization. Presentation: Mossammot  Akter

May 17

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.3 – Capital Accumulation and State Formation. Presentation: Andreia Santos and Jennifer Lee

May 22

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.4 – Income Inequality, Poverty, and Hunger. Presentation: Akira Siddiqui, Adam Richards and Mladen Ostojic          

May 24

Changing Canada, Ch. 5 – Politics and Transformation: Welfare State Restructuring in Canada. Presentation: Mossammot Nazma Akter and Evan Rosevear

May 29

Changing Canada, Ch. 11 – Toward a North American Common Currency. Presentation: Hoon Kim, Innis Mason and Mladen Ostojic

May 31

In-Class Test

June 5

Changing Canada, Ch. 12 – The Transformation of Communication in Canada. Presentation: Amanda Knegje and Malkit Ahluwalia

June 7

Changing Canada, Ch. 10 – “'Playin' Along”: Canada and Global Finance. Presentation Malkit Ahuwalia and Nusrat Hossain

June 12

Changing Canada, Ch. 9 – Beyond the Continentalist/Nationalist Divide: Politics in a North America “without Borders”. Presentation: Sunita Pattemanattran and Barry Reeves

June 14

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.7 – Social Stratification: Class and Racial Inequality. Presentation: Mandeep Kaur and Navneet Chohan

June 19

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.9 – Multiculturalism, Ethnic Identity, and Inequality. Presentation: Andreia Santos,  Andrew Tegho and Suban Farah

June 21

Changing Canada, ch. 15 - Immigration, Ethnicity & Race. Presentation:  Clara-Jaye Levy and Akira Siddiqui

June 26

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.11 – The Canadian Criminal Justice System: Inequalities of Class, Race, and Gender. Presentation: Adrian Conliffe and Michael Said

June 28

In-Class Test

July 3

Social Issues and Contradictions ch. 10 - Transforming Canada's Educational System. Presentation: Amanda Knegje, Masoud Paikar and Rimmi Kohli

July 5

Changing Canada, ch. 8 - Gender Paradoxes. Presentation: Jennifer Lee,  Suban Farah and Clara-Jaye Levy

July 10

Changing Canada, ch. 7 - Pay Equity. Presentation: Evan Rosevear, Masoud Paikar and Adam Richards

July 12

Changing Canada, ch. 6 - The Political Economy of Childcare. Presentation: Nusrat Hossain and Laura Spano

July 17

Major Paper

July 19

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.8 – First Nations: Walking the Path of Social
Change. Presentation: Mandeep Kaur, Sunita Pathmanathan and Rimmi Kohli

July 23

Social Issues and Contradictions ch.13 – Urbanization: Issues and Problems.  Presentation: Andrew Tegho,  Michael Said,  Barry Reeves and Adrian Conliffe

July 25

Changing Canada, ch. 14 - The Urban Experience of Globalization. Presentation: Innis Mason and Hook Kim

July 31

Final Exam

August 2

End of Semester

Grading, Assignment Submission, Lateness Penalties and Missed Tests

Grading:  The grading scheme for the course conforms to the 9-point grading system used in undergraduate programs at York (e.g., A+ = 9, A = 8, B+ - 7, C+ = 5, etc.).  Assignments and tests* will bear either a letter grade designation or a corresponding number grade (e.g.  A+ = 90 to 100, A = 80 to 90, B+ = 75 to 79, etc.)  (For a full description of York grading system see the York University Undergraduate Calendar – http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/pdfs/ug2004cal/calug04_5_acadinfo.pdf

Assignment Submission: Proper academic performance depends on students doing their work not only well, but on time.  Accordingly, assignments for this course must be received on the due date specified for the assignment.  Written assignments are to be handed in to the Course Instructor in person and and students must retain a computer copy.

Lateness Penalty: Assignments received later than the due date will be penalized one-half grade letter per day that the assignment is late. Exceptions to the lateness penalty for valid reasons such as illness, compassionate grounds, etc., may be entertained by the Course Instructor but will require supporting documentation (e.g., a doctor’s letter).

Missed Tests:  Students with a documented reason for missing a course test, such as illness, compassionate grounds, etc., which is confirmed by supporting documentation (e.g., doctor’s letter) may request accommodation from the Course Instructor. Accommodation will entail a make-up test on a date and time specified by the Course Instructor. Further extensions or accommodation will require students to submit a formal petition to the Faculty.

Important York Policies

Academic Honesty: Atkinson as a Faculty considers breaches of the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty to be serious matters. To quote the Senate Policy on Academic Honesty:

The Policy on Academic Honesty is an affirmation and clarification for members of the University of the general obligation to maintain the highest standards of academic honesty. As a clear sense of academic honesty and responsibility is fundamental to good scholarship, the policy recognizes the general responsibility of all faculty members to foster acceptable standards of academic conduct and of the student to be mindful of and abide by such standards.

Suspected breaches of academic honesty will be investigated and charges shall be laid if reasonable and probable grounds exist.

Students should review the York Academic Honesty policy for themselves at:
http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/legislation/senate/acadhone.htm 

Students might also wish to review the interactive on-line Tutorial for students on academic integrity, at: http://www.yorku.ca/tutorial/academic_integrity/ 

Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy: The grading scheme (i.e. kinds and weights of assignments, essays, exams, etc.) shall be announced, and be available in writing, within the first two weeks of class, and, under normal circumstances, graded feedback worth at least 15% of the final grade for Fall, Winter or Summer Term, and 30% for ‘full year’ courses offered in the Fall/Winter Term be received by students in all courses prior to the final withdrawal date from a course without receiving a grade, with the following exceptions:

  • graduate or upper level undergraduate courses where course work typically, or at the instructor's discretion, consists of a single piece of work and/or is based predominantly (or solely) on student presentations ( e.g. honours theses or graduate research papers not due by the drop date, etc.);
  • practicum courses;
  • ungraded courses;
  • courses in Faculties where the drop date occurs within the first 3 weeks of classes;
  • courses which run on a compressed schedule (a course which accomplishes its academic credits of work at a rate of more than one credit hour per two calendar weeks ).

Note: Under unusual and/or unforeseeable circumstances which disrupt the academic norm, instructors are expected to provide grading schemes and academic feedback in the spirit of these regulations, as soon as possible.

For more information on the Grading Scheme and Feedback Policy, please visit: http://www.yorku.ca/secretariat/legislation/senate/gradfeed.htm 

In-Class Tests and Exams - the 20% Rule

For all Undergraduate courses, except those which regularly meet on Friday evening or on a weekend, tests or exams worth more than 20% will not be held in the two weeks prior to the beginning of the official examination period. For further information on the 20% Rule, please visit: http://calendars.registrar.yorku.ca/examschedules/examinfo/twentypercent.htm.

For further information on examination scheduling, and Atkinson examination exceptions to this rule, please refer to the "Notes" in the table:
http://www.yorku.ca/roweb/importantdates/  

Reappraisals

Students may, with sufficient academic grounds, request that a final grade in a course be reappraised (which may mean the review of specific pieces of tangible work). Non-academic grounds are not relevant for grade reappraisals; in such cases, students are advised to petition to their home Faculty. Students are normally expected to first contact the course director to discuss the grade received and to request that their tangible work be reviewed. Tangible work may include written, graphic, digitized, modeled, video recording or audio recording formats, but not oral work.

Students need to be aware that a request for a grade reappraisal may result in the original grade being raised, lowered or confirmed.

For reappraisal procedures and information, please visit the Office of the Registrar site at: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/services/policies/grade.htm

Accommodation Procedures:

Atkinson students who have experienced a misfortune or who are too ill to attend an examination in an Atkinson course should not attempt to do so; they must pursue deferred standing. Other students should contact their home Faculty for information. For further information, please visit: http://www.registrar.yorku.ca/services/ds_faq.htm 

Religious Accommodation

York University is committed to respecting the religious beliefs and practices of all members of the community, and making accommodations for observances of special significance to adherents.

For more information on religious accommodation, please visit:
https://w2prod.sis.yorku.ca/Apps/WebObjects/cdm.woa/wa/regobs 

Academic Accommodation for Students with Disabilities
(Senate Policy)

The nature and extent of accommodations shall be consistent with and supportive of the integrity of the curriculum and of the academic standards of programs or courses.

Provided that students have given sufficient notice about their accommodation needs, instructors shall take reasonable steps to accommodate these needs in a manner consistent with the guidelines established hereunder. For more information please visit the Disabilities Services website at http://www.yorku.ca/dshub/ 

Alternate Exams and Tests

York’s disabilities offices and the Registrar’s Office work in partnership to support alternate exam and test accommodation services for students with disabilities at the Keele campus. For more information on alternate exams and tests please visit http://www.yorku.ca/altexams/ 

Please alert the Course Director as soon as possible should you require special accommodations. For questions relating to academic accommodations, please contact the Atkinson Counseling and Supervision Centre: http://www.yorku.ca/atkcsc